


clint barton + ceiling vents

by d__T



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-23
Updated: 2014-07-23
Packaged: 2018-02-10 01:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2005596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/d__T/pseuds/d__T
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The ceiling is a safe place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	clint barton + ceiling vents

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by a tumblr headcanon meme. Paired slightly with the natasha + sleep ficlet.

Clint first hid in a ceiling vent on a mission: one of those kill a man in a locked room in a high security building kind of deals. His handler told him he couldn't just walk in, and that the man might not be where they thought he was. In the end, Clint crawled through what felt like a mile of air handling tubes and machinery, collecting intel on the way, before he found his target.

He watched Romanov work from way up in the ceiling. Not in a vent, this building was too old to have those. She was sent here for the man dying on the floor; he was sent here for her. She smiled at him on her way out, the only indication that she knew he was up there.

Through a complicated system of mirrors leading down into the bowels of the air handling system, he watched Romanov complete her mission. He hadn't been sent at all, but he was here for her. She fired a single shot into the vent, breaking the first mirror in his line up. He sighed.

He didn't want this mission, but work was work, so he went in through the vents in order to keep an eye on people’s movements before he he reached his target. He found a single red hair in the bottom of the vent above his target. The target was gone.

The arrow thudded into the floor beside Romanov’s boot, so close it marred the edge of the sole. She plucked it from the floor and threw it back, the single red hair still tied around it.

Iron Man took him in, and Clint crawled through every vent and airway in the building. It was safe up in there. A little dusty, but safe.

This mission was not under control: too many enemies, not enough backup. He wasn't even supposed to be here, but stakeouts are stakeouts. He pried the corner of the vent cover open and started taking out bad guys until none were left, until Romanov stood in the middle of the room surrounded by dead people. Clint kicked the vent out and dropped down into the room. “I have an offer for you. I could be your backup.” He smiled, and she darted out of the room, incredibly fast.

This mission wasn't under control either, but Romanov didn't seem to be worried at all. He sighed, and shot all the bad guys. Romanov hit her target, and then spoke directly to the vent, “Do not come down here.”  
"You know I have to get my arrows back." She turned her back, and he dropped out of the ceiling.

"Fancy meeting you here."  
"You are so predictable."  
"What do you want?"  
"Tell me about that offer."  
He did.

Stark didn't like it when he knew Clint was in the ceilings, which was fine because Stark was wrong about how much time Clint spent in the ceiling.

Sometime in the dark hours, he found where S.H.E.I.L.D. was holding Romanov. She rolled uncomfortably in her sleep, so he stayed a while, watching over her until she stilled and her breathing slowed.

When she didn't mention it the next day, he figured that if she minded his ceiling vent habits, he would be dead already.


End file.
